The Generous Customer
The Christmas period. Wreaths are up and the walls are covered in baubles. Christmas music is echoing through the halls of consumerism from dawn till dusk and every morning I get Jingle Bell Rock stuck in my head. But the season for giving could also be called the season for stealing.
I guess every store gets them. I imagine they’re every dairy owner’s daily nightmare.
The shifty kids.
They were both young and in intermediate school uniforms. The worst. They’re at that age where they want to be teenagers and they think teenagers act all rebellious and above everyone else so that’s how they act. But they’re twelve.
Twelve-year-olds. No, worse! Shifty twelve-year-olds.
They asked for a couple of frozen cokes, and one of them gave me a whole bunch of silver and bronze coins, and they were ten cents short. Of course, I immediately jump to thinking that he missed the last bronze coin on purpose. People do that, “accidentally” give you the wrong change. You can see their annoyance when you ask for the correct amount.
I mean, seriously.
The boys returned during the mid-afternoon lull. They kinda hung around the back, going through their pockets and looking at their lack of money, probably wondering if they could get away with a 90 cent frozen coke this time.
But, I looked really bored, and they’re smart enough not to try that on a bored cashier.
To my shame, they did have money enough for another two frozen cokes. I placed the order and put their receipt to one side. While they stood to one side, waiting for the unusually slow drinks drawer, I served another man. He came up to the counter and stood there really awkwardly for a moment.
“Hi, sir, what would you like?” I asked kindly.
He then quickly turned to the two shifty twelve year old boys. “Would you guys like a Big Mac?”
I was shocked. The boys looked around to see who he was talking to, wondering if he was actually offering it to them, and the man realised that he had asked really suddenly and out of the blue.
“Big Macs, yeah?”
“Uuh, yeh?” The boys replied. They looked at each other. They were trying to laugh and smile at their fortune, but they were too shocked to keep their grins.
The man ordered two Big Mac combos, with their choice of drink, and paid for it.
“Merry Christmas, boys! Enjoy your meal!”
Then he disappeared.
To be honest, my first reaction was, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THESE GUYS DON’T DESERVE BIG MAC COMBOS! WHY DIDN’T YOU GO FIND A MOTHER WITH SOME SCREAMING CHILDREN AND OFFER TO BUY THEM LUNCH OR SOMETHING?!
I was seething. In fact, I almost didn’t want to give them their food when the runner came by with it. The boys picked up the bag with uncertainty and left, unsmiling.
THEY’RE NOT EVEN GRATEFUL FOR IT! I was still ranting to myself about it.
But, that man did an extraordinary thing.
As I think back to it, what if that was the first time some random stranger had done something nice to those boys? What if their view of the world and of people had been completely changed? What if this weird, awkward act of kindness lives on in the memories of these boys and one day they’ll remember it and so give someone else a weird and awkward act of kindness?
I certainly am inspired to.
This act reminds me of Easter, and the message that comes with it. I was one of those self-righteous teachers of the law who – out of jealousy – sent an innocent man to be crucified. Those boys were like everyone on this planet; unlikely, undeserving, but at the receiving end of so much love.
I was put to shame that day, but today my shame is taken away.
Happy Easter, everyone.